Collateral Damage
by The Lady Avaritia
Summary: Sasuke returns to Konoha after Itachi's death, and has to face the consequences of his actions. These people, are real, and human, and breathing, and warm and they are not just collateral damage, and he can't face their accusing eyes.


**Title: Collateral Damage**

**Rating: **T  
><strong>Spoilers: <strong>general

**Characters**: Sasuke/Tsunade  
><strong>Summary: <strong> Sasuke returns to Konoha after Itachi's death, and has to face the consequences of his actions. These people, are real, and human, and breathing, and warm and they are not just collateral damage, and he can't face their accusing eyes.

**Disclaimer: **disclaimed

**Author Note:**

**Author: **_Lady Avaritia_

_Don't listen to a word I say  
>Hey!<br>The screams all sound the same._

_~ Of Monsters and Men, Little Talks_

Sasuke almost wished he hadn't come back to Konoha after his revenge had been executed, and his brother's cold (skinny, breakable) body was buried into the burning stone tomb of their clan of lies and illusions.

He sits awkwardly on the chair in front of the Hokage's desk, and his eyes are downcast and he can't, just can't, can't, can't bear to look at the Godaime, can't force himself to meet her eyes as she glares at him sternly, in the perfect imitation of a strong leader.

'Look up at me, boy,' she commands harshly, anger as her last defense, and he has no choice but to obey, so he looks up, and his hardened onyx eyes meet the molten honey depths of hers, and damn it, she looks like she might start crying, a desperate cry to heaven, and seek to condemn him. Jiraiya stands behind her chair, his big hand rested on her shoulder, which looks somehow small and brittle.

And they're both looking at him, stony impassive faces, but Sasuke can see beneath this, can look past their last stationed defenses, and in reality they're despairing; their eyes are angry and full of sorrow and bitterness, their faces twisted, as they scream their accusations of

_How could you, how could you, you killed him, you killed him, he was a part of us, you killed him, you-monster, murderer, how could you, you killed us, he was our brother, lover, father, friend, he was the flesh on our bones, the sandpaper of our skin, the ashes in our blood, how could you, why did you, he was Orochimaru and he was ours, ours, ours… murderer, you killed him, you killed us, you tore our bleeding hearts out and swallowed them, how could you, you stomped on our love, you insolent, you selfish child, you don't understand, you don't understand, he was ours, we were his, he was us, and we were him, and how can you ever know that this is about so much more, and if anyone killed him, it should have been us, us, us… how could you?_

And there's nothing he can say, but look into their eyes as they silent screams of despair wash over him, and he grows smaller, and smaller, and they pierce him with wordless accusation, and bruise him with harsh words, and talk of punishment, and revenge and loyalty and friendship and teams, and ruined childhoods, and _how could you, Sasuke, how could you_?

And when he meets Anko, for the first time since the Chuunin exams, he almost wishes he hadn't returned to Konoha, as she practically throws herself at him, and tries to scratch his (cursed) eyes out with screams and threats and tears, but in reality all she does is smile a smile that would have made her old sensei proud, and raise a hand for a friendly wave, and he can see his death in her eyes, because he killed her friend, her brother, father, lover, flesh, and blood, body, and mind, and soul, her sensei, her Orochimaru-sama, and that was a right reserved for her, and she wants retribution.

And he feels more and me and more like a criminal with every passing day, because these people, are real, and human, and breathing, and warm and they are not just collateral damage, and he had to take that into account, and he can't rid himself of the accusations his once-friends and once-teammates throw him, veiled with their spoilt, rotten smiles, and kind cruel eyes, and their talk of friendship, loyalty and family.

Sasuke almost wished he hadn't come back to Konoha after his revenge had been executed, and his brother's cold (skinny, breakable) body was buried into the burning stone tomb of their clan of lies and illusions.


End file.
